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This is Fred Ball for Zions Bank, speaking on business.
Residents of southern Davis County know right where to go for the best in live musicals. They head to Rodgers Memorial Theater on East Pages Lane in Centerville.
The non-profit theater has been a community tradition for over 10 years, providing family-friendly entertainment and giving locals a chance to develop their production skills. The late Ralph Rodgers, who for many years ran the Promised Valley Playhouse in Salt Lake and the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii, established the theater in 1991 after retiring from his lengthy career in the cultural arts. The theater was known at that time as the Pages Lane Theater.
Ralph loved the theater and spent a great deal of his time and strength running it. But sadly, in 1996, he passed away, and residents wondered whether the high-quality productions would end.
Well, thanks to Ralph's family, the theater remained open. The Rodgers donated it to a non-profit group of trustees known as the Davis County Performing Arts Corporation. The group, led by local real estate developer Bill Davies, renamed the theater Rodgers Memorial Theater in honor of Ralph Rodgers and his family and productions resumed in 1997.
That first year, season ticket sales amounted to just over 200. But since then, the theater has experienced phenomenal growth. Much of that has been the result of increased performances, interior upgrades and popular productions. Later this month, Civil War will begin running. Rodgers Memorial will be the first non-professional theater in Utah to produce the touching Broadway musical.
Bill told me the theater is on track this year to realize more than 3,400 season ticket holders. He expects performances will draw an overall crowd total of 50,000.
A large part of the theater's success has come from community donations of time and money. With the growing number of patrons, the Davis County Performing Arts Corporation hopes to eventually move productions to a new building. But they realize it will require increased community support, which they hope to get more than ever before.
For Zions Bank, I'm Fred Ball. I'm speaking on business.
